Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Michael Jackson's Doctor, Conrad Murray's Freemasonry

Back in 2009 when Michael Jackson died, suspicion immediately turned to his physician Dr. Conrad Murray, who is now on trial for manslaughter in the death of the pop star.

At the time, a photo was released of Murray dressed in a Masonic officer's collar, and his attorney released a statement in order to bolster his sinking character, saying Murray had joined "the Freemasonry" [sic] in 2006. Almost immediately, Freemasons in California and Murray's state of residence, Nevada, could find no record of his membership.

Back in 2010, Jackson's father Joe and his sister LaToya accused Dr. Murray of being a tool of a Masonic cabal that runs the music industry. Apparently, they have been taken in by the Masonic references by acts like Lady Gaga and Jay-Z who have been using symbolism of the fraternity in their album artwork, videos and stage shows, as "proof" of a larger Masonic conspiracy.

Dr. Conrad Murray was actually a member of the "United Most Worshipful Scottish Grand Lodge of Texas", an irregular, unrecognized bogus group in the Houston area, that has absolutely nothing to do with the Grand Lodge of Texas AF&AM, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas F&AM, or any other regular, recognized form of Freemasonry. Within three years of joining, Murray was made a grand lodge officer, with the rank of Grand Medical Director, which is the title that appears on his officer's collar in the photo. The United MW Scottish Rite Grand Lodge of Texas is on the list of bogus grand lodges identified by the Phylaxis Society. Their "cabal" extends to the city limits of Houston. But such details generally elude most non-Masons.

One wonders what goes on at their meetings that would require a grand medical officer.

As you can tell from the Phylaxis Society's list of bogus grand lodges, the African-American community has been especially pestered by charlatans who stick a square and compasses on their lapel, buy some aprons, download a ritual, and declare themselves to be a "grand lodge" without any authority whatsoever. The somewhat arcane internal struggles we have involving issues of recognition and regularity undoubtedly seem quaint, silly or puzzling to non-Masons.

Dr. Murray belongs to a self-declared grand lodge in Houston that has no recognition or authority whatsoever outside of its own lodge room. In Texas, only lodges chartered by the mainstream and predominantly white Grand Lodge of Texas AF&AM or the predominantly black Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas are recognized as regular by the overwhelming world of Freemasonry.

The problem is that "Freemason" and "Order of the Eastern Star" are not copyrighted terms, and so bogus groups are not prohibited by law from co-opting them.

The black community has been especially plagued by these irregular Masonic groups. In some states like California, Ohio and Illinois, there are dozens and even hundreds of such fraudulent organizations that sound completely legitimate, or at least suitably ostentatious. Some were formed because of internal squabbles and schisms. Others exist solely to separate the gullible from their cash. And still others (Prince Hall Origination) date back more than 150 years to a brief experiment with a national governing organization that was quickly discarded by most Prince Hall lodges.

In any case, Dr. Murray's allegedly questionable medical activities were not motivated, controlled, or otherwise ordered by a Masonic Plot.™

6 comments:

Just a note, the Grand Lodge of Virginia has a Grand Physician. He wears a collar, jewel and apron just like any other Grand Lodge Officer. He has assisted several times when one of our members gets ill while the Grand Annual Communication is in session.

Chris, the mainstream and PHA grand lodges do not recognize these groups, but they do generally recognize each other, and they often unite under and in the form of Masonic Congresses in the tradition of John G. Jones, in addition to uniting under Supreme Councils and consistories. They can be found running upscale restaurants in Manhattan, radio stations in Detroit and fraternal supply stores and even Masonic retirement homes from New Jersey to Maryland to Arkansas and back. They have their own economy and insular existence, and sometimes their buildings are larger and more ornate than the recognized & regular Masonic groups in the area. Internationals can be found visiting Scottish Rite Colored and Modern Free and Moorish Rite and John G. Jones and FAAYM and vice versa. Granted, there are schisms which ultimately result in still more groups and divisions. Still, these groups generally partner up across city, county and state lines and host regional meetings in hotels across America. As you pointed out, they operate in varying degrees of regularity when it comes to their practices.

Oh heck, the Jackson family was just jealous. Masonic Temples are often filled with very classy and interesting Egyptophilic material culture. While Jackson's house, to judge even by the stuff he bought on TV while being interviewed no less, was purest kitsch. Money can't buy class, honey!

Freemasonry is...

Freemasonry is the world's largest, oldest and best-known gentleman's fraternity. It is based on the medieval stonemason guilds who built the great castles and cathedrals of Europe. Modern Freemasons use the tools, traditions and terminology of those stonemasons as allegories for building temples in the hearts of men. It's said that we are a secret society. We do indeed have secrets—secrets that each individual man has to discover for and about himself. It's not for everybody. Maybe it's for you.

"Brother Chris Hodapp's [blog]...is thought provoking and is often the first place on the web where new ideas and matters of interest are posted."

Christopher L. Hodapp is the former editor of the "Journal of The Masonic Society." He is the author of the best-selling "Freemasons For Dummies," and "Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C."
He is the co-author with Alice Von Kannon of "The Templar Code For Dummies" and "Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies For Dummies."
He has appeared on the History and Discovery channels on the subject of Freemasonry, its role in the founding of the United States and the building of Washington D.C.
Hodapp has spent more than twenty years editing, writing and directing as a commercial filmmaker. He has written for corporate and non-profit programs, and his voice has appeared in many television and radio commercials.
His newest book, "Deciphering the Lost Symbol," was published in 2010.
He is a 33rd degree Scottish Rite Freemason, and he lives in Indianapolis, Indiana.